Mixed reactions to teacher action

Huntsville Forester

As a matter of policy, most North American newspapers, large and small, only publish letters to the editor with the names of authors attached.
We demand the sources in our coverage have the strength to speak up and identify themselves, so it’s only fair that readers with criticism have the stones to include their names when publicly joining the debate – whether it be with criticism, praise or suggestions.
But recently, we’ve received a handful of anonymous letters to the editor on the same topic.
Generally, these letter writers appreciate the efforts of our teachers. But generally, they also aren’t happy with recent one-day elementary school strikes and high school teachers scaling back extracurricular work. The letter writers ask to remain anonymous because schools are one of the area’s largest employers, and they don’t want to offend friends and neighbours who work in that profession.
Those who own or represent businesses don’t want to alienate that many potential customers.
They also don’t want to put their children at risk of being treated differently in the classrooms because of their opinions as parents.
Accurate or not, the perceived power of a labour group is handcuffing public discourse on this issue.
While children’s interests may well be at the forefront of all recent actions by teachers, it’s important to note that residents still feel at risk of repercussions for expressing opinion contrary to those in the teaching profession.
So, an exception to our policy on anonymous submissions, here is one such letter: They should not hold the students hostage during so-called negotiations. Unions were formed a long time ago to protect workers in fields and factories who slaved every day under horrific conditions, with no paid vacation, no paid sick days, for very little money, sometimes not even allowed to take a break to have a drink of water.
Those were the types of people that needed unions. The people who fought for those rights back in the day are probably rolling over in their graves seeing how the system has been abused and misused.
People who make between $50,000 to $100,000 per year do not need a union. People who get weeks and weeks of paid vacation and sick days do not need a union. People who get raises while the rest of us get nothing or are laid off do not need protecting.
So-called collective bargaining rights should not trump the rights of children. People who collect the biggest pension in the country, while the rest of the aging population collect their peanuts from CPP do not need protecting. The government you are fighting with are the ones that gave you your huge benefits to begin with. Where does it end? Where do you think the money is coming from?
Your neighbour who has to decide between buying her son shoes, or buying him a healthy dinner - that’s who. Your 80-year-old neighbour whose pension doesn’t even cover his heating bill in the winter - that’s who.